“It is,” she argues and tries once again to get free of my grasp, gasping when I actually let go and give her some space. “It’s no big deal. I’m clumsy sometimes…”
Before she can say anything more, I grab her arm and wrap my arm around the back of her legs, hoisting her into the air and over my shoulder. She yelps and pushes with all her might to slide down my body, but I hold firm. “We need to chat.”
“It was afuckingwall,” she yells and tries to kick me, but I have her legs too far out from my body with her face down near my ass. “Put me down, goddammit.”
I stalk toward the bedroom, my rage boiling over and almost uncontrollable. “Not happening.”
“You can’t do this!”
I kick open the door and take two long strides toward the bed. “You’re going to talk, even if I have to make you.”
“I won’t crack,” she hisses when I drop her on the bed, and she bounces in the air. Her legs and arms go wide, steadying herself and ready to pounce like she’s the hunter.
“You’ll crack,” I whisper against her lips.
She has it all wrong.
She’s the prey.
I’m the predator.
And Iwilldevour her.
17
Kennedy
“Was it your father?”
I scrunch my brows in confusion. “What, who hit me? No. God, no.”
“Who the fuck did it, then? Are you seeing someone else?”
He’s got me pinned to the bed by my wrists, and a vein in his neck is standing out ominously. Nix has murder in mind over this black eye. I should have waited until it was gone to come see him, but I couldn’t wait. I didn’t even go home after my flight from Dubai landed. I came straight here.
“No. I’m not seeing anyone else.”
He narrows his eyes skeptically. “I want to believe you.”
“Hey, which one of us always has another woman over at his apartment, one who has serious jealousy issues?”
“I told you, I’ve got no interest in Coco.”
“And I believe you,” I remind him. “So don’t doubt me when I’ve given you no reason to.”
“What the fuck am I supposed to think? You disappear from the grid for a week and come back with a black eye you think you can hide from me?”
“We’re both hiding things, Nix.”
He lowers his face to mine and kisses me, pouring tenderness and ferocity into every nerve ending in my body. I feel it—his worry and helplessness. And a wave of guilt hits me, because I did this to him.
“I’m sorry,” I say, tearing myself away from his kiss. “I’d never worry you on purpose.”
His eyes close and he slides his hands into mine, lacing our fingers together. “I can’t keep doing this if you don’t give me something, Ken. You don’t have to give me every fucking thing, but…something.”
My pulse quickens at the thought of losing him. I can’t let that happen. This thing between us has been reckless, and my feelings for him will probably bite me in the ass at some point, but Nix is the best thing in my life right now. The best thing I’ve had in a long time. He makes me feel alive. He challenges me, excites me, andseesme in a way no one ever has.
“I was working,” I say softly.
